steve handelsman joins us with a look from new york city. hello, steve. >> reporter: hello, diane. here on time square, it looks like we are back to normal here. this place is crowded with tourists. hardly thinking of the hurricane, but even though the death toll is reported to be at 20 and could go higher, this could have been far worse. that's the assessment here in new york and up and down the east coast. starting the clean up, this was central park. new york is draining tonight. rhode island is taking stock. >> not as bad as we expected. much better. >> irene was a full-fledged cat one hurricane. this was long island this morning. >> pandemonium pretty much. crazy. >> at least 15 people were reported killed from florida to new england. many by falling trees last night and today. flooding extended far inland near philadelphia. some rivers are still reported rising. now many of the million who is evacuated want to see if there is damage. hazel lowe in new york city. >> there were power outages and i don't know what to believe. >> charlie jones in north carolina. >> pay won't let